"Irrational violence lacks a distancing objectivity and its attempts to shock are excessively graphic in scenes of bloodshed" Scorsese's timeless masterpiece about a man's want to join society came under much scrutiny at the time and is irreversibly conjoined with John Hickley Jr.'s attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Needless to say, its a an utterly ingenious film and is hailed by critics and moviegoers alike. However, the Legion of Decency condemned the film and reasoned the the film's violence was "irrational" and "lacks a distancing objectivity". Unfortunately for them, these two reasons are in part what makes the film so brilliant. The irrational violence acts as a vehicle to demonstrate Travis Bickle's emotional corruption and also builds him as a unique and fascinating character. Scorsese's success in not distancing the audience allows a clever and terrifying insight into the type of societal degradation and utter loneliness experienced by Bickle. Taxi Driver is a brilliant film; not one for the light-hearted, but albeit brilliant.
Student from Sydney, Australia. Fascinated with the films of Jean Cocteau, Darren Aronofsky, Federico Fellini, and Martin Scorsese. Also an avid watcher of The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Dexter (no spoilers please). Moreover, loves to play sport and challenge the laws of the English language.
